National Symposium: No development without women owning land

In a powerful display of cross-sector solidarity, government officials, lawmakers, cultural leaders, grassroots women, and civil society groups gathered at parliament last Friday for Uganda’s second National Symposium on Land Governance.

Under the theme “Securing Women’s Agricultural Ownership: A Political and Development Imperative,” the symposium spotlighted the urgent need to address the gender gap in land ownership—a crisis at the heart of Uganda’s rural poverty and agricultural stagnation.

The event, convened by the Uganda Parliamentarians on Land Management Forum (UPLMF) in partnership with the ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development and supported by Oxfam, Cordaid, and Habitat for Humanity, with event execution by HAP WASH Promotion Initiative, served as both a reflection on past efforts and a strategic push for bold reforms.

LAND AS IDENTITY, NOT JUST PROPERTY

Francis Odokorach, country director of Oxfam Uganda, delivered a keynote address that cut to the core of the issue. He reminded attendees that land is far more than a physical asset.

“Land is not merely a resource,” he said. “It is a source of dignity, identity, power and long-term security.”

Odokorach criticized the pervasive misconception that women’s access to land—often granted through male relatives—equates to ownership. In reality, he explained, women across Uganda remain sidelined from decisions over land they cultivate.

“Where you lack a voice, you cannot invest,” he warned.

Without secure tenure, women are less likely to make long-term improvements to their land, or use it as collateral to access credit and grow their livelihoods.

Statistics presented at the symposium painted a stark picture: only 17 per cent of Ugandans hold legal land ownership, and among them, less than 58 per cent possess proper documentation.

The proportion of female landowners is even smaller, a gap that has severe consequences for Uganda’s agricultural productivity and rural development. Odokorach gave personal weight to the data, recounting how two widows from his village were evicted from family land after their husbands’ deaths.

“Some are simply told to step aside,” he said. “They now fight in court to reclaim what was always theirs.”

Odokorach’s appeal was clear: Uganda must go beyond incremental progress and address the deep-seated cultural norms that keep women landless.

“Many prominent Ugandans now include daughters in their wills,” he acknowledged. “That’s encouraging. But we need structural change, not just noble exceptions.”

Representing Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, Lands minister Judith Nabakooba reinforced the government’s stance that land is central to economic and cultural identity, and that women’s exclusion from it is a threat to national development.

“To the NRM government, land is more than a resource—it is livelihood, culture and capital,” the prime minister’s message stated.

“Yet, despite women’s immense role in agriculture and environmental stewardship, they remain largely landless.” Nabbanja acknowledged that while policy shifts have occurred since the first symposium in May 2024, statutory gains remain undermined by entrenched customary practices.

Joint land titling is rare, legal redress is limited, and many women still lack knowledge of their rights.

“What are we doing, as leaders, institutions, and citizens, to dismantle the invisible barriers that deny women their rightful stake in the land they till?” she asked the audience. “Land equity is not a fringe issue. It is central to poverty reduction, food security, and gender equality.”

BEYOND SPEECHES: A POLITICAL IMPERATIVE

As the 2026 general elections approach, Nabbanja challenged political leaders to make land equity a priority in their platforms. She also endorsed the creation of a Minimum Demand Charter from the symposium’s formal list of measurable, enforceable commitments to which political leaders must be held accountable.

Her message extended to cultural institutions as well, urging them to reconcile customary values with constitutional rights.

“Cultural progress is not betrayal— it is evolution,” she emphasized.

Civil society organizations were also called upon to partner more closely with government institutions in building legal literacy at the community level.

“Gone are the days when someone can claim to speak for communities,” she said. “Bring the women themselves to the table.”

MOMENTUM TOWARD REFORM

Building on the momentum of the inaugural symposium, participants adopted a slate of resolutions to advance women’s land rights, including the establishment of a comprehensive Land Data Registry, greater government accountability, stronger legal frameworks, and tougher action on impunity in land-related crimes.

The symposium ended with a united front: women’s land ownership is not simply a development issue—it is a human rights imperative and an economic necessity. Securing it will not only improve household incomes and food security but also lay the groundwork for a more equitable and resilient Uganda.